Be guided by leading barristers and expert solicitors for an essential deep dive into the challenges of wills and estates practice. Designed for experienced professionals and those needing more advanced guidance, this advanced program delivers essential updates and practical strategies for managing sophisticated and complex estate matters. Gain valuable insight into key litigation trends, Family Provision claims by grandchildren and the interplay of estoppel, trusts and estates. Learn how to effectively handle disputes involving executors and court-appointed administrators. Delve into planning for blended families, the implications of superannuation in estate planning and strategies for estate tax and duties.

Presenters

Angela Djukanovic, Barrister, Chalfont Chambers
Angela was called to the Bar in 2019. She appears primarily in the Supreme Court of New South Wales and has an established practice in Wills and Estates, including contested probate, family provision and general equity claims. Angela is a regular speaker at Legalwise Seminars on a variety of topics relating to estate litigation and family provision. Prior to coming to the Bar, Angela held senior executive roles in the corporate and commercial space including Managing Director of an executive recruitment company, and General Manager of a multinational consumer goods company. In her commercial roles, Angela was responsible for significant commercial transactions and negotiations whilst leading large teams as a consultative leader. Angela also held a senior role in medical administration for a number of years. Angela holds a Diploma of Law, which she obtained through the Legal Practitioners Admission Board (LPAB) and a Master of Business from the University of Technology, Sydney. Angela has been recognised in Doyles Guide as a Leading Junior Counsel in Wills and Estates Litigation, including most recently in 2025.

John Armfield, Barrister & Mediator, Two Wentworth Chambers
John has been practicing at the NSW Bar for 44 years as counsel in wills and estates matters and related litigation.  He has long been recognised in Doyles Guide as a leading junior counsel in 2015, 2017-2020, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 as a pre-eminent and recommended leading wills and estates junior counsel.  His particular expertise spans family provision law, testamentary capacity, informal wills, estoppel in estate litigation and the rights of beneficiaries to obtain information in relation to the administration of trusts. Approachable as he is, his colleagues and members of the broader legal profession have come to rely on John’s guidance, counsel and assistance to resolve complex wills & estates matters. John is an accredited mediator.  He is approached to act as mediator and instructed as counsel to appear for parties in more than 100 mediations a year.  For the most part, he achieves an inordinate number of settlements either as Counsel, or as mediator assisting parties to reach a result they find acceptable in their circumstances. John is a regular legal conference speaker including STEP, the Blue Mountains Conference, Ten The Education Network and other various legal education channels together with his own Floor’s conference.

Michelle Painter SC, Nine Selborne Chambers
Michelle practices primarily in commercial law, involving all manner of commercial disputes, as well as equity and trusts, and family provision and probate. She also has extensive experience representing directors and corporations in regulatory enforcement matters. Michelle has been a barrister since 1998 and took silk in 2013. She has been involved for many years with the NSW Bar Association’s Bar Practice Course, where she presents on the art (and the slog) of cross examination.

Linda Clarke, Barrister, Orange Chambers
Linda practices in succession, equity, and trusts at the New South Wales Bar. She regularly advises and appears in contested estate litigation regarding the validity of wills including testamentary capacity matters, estoppel, the construction of wills and trust deeds, rural property disputes, partnerships within the framework of wills and estates, family provision matters, estate administration, executors and trustees’ duties and the protective list. Linda has a passion for rural Australia and is committed to ensuring legal accessibility to rural, regional, and remote areas. She has chambers in Orange in the Central West, and Sydney, merging regional accessibility with NSWSC Equity Court knowledge.

Dung Lam, Principal, West Garbutt
Dung Lam is a tax and superannuation lawyer with years of experience advising on a wide variety of taxes including income tax, capital gains tax, GST and state taxes such as payroll tax and land tax. Dung also assists taxpayers in obtaining rulings from and managing tax disputes with the Australian Taxation Office and state revenue authorities. Dung has extensive experience in advising on the taxation of trusts, superannuation issues concerning self managed superannuation funds and tax issues related to estate planning. Dung advises a broad range of clients ranging from small to medium enterprises, high net worth individuals, professional firms, accountants and their clients. Dung is a Chartered Tax Adviser, a full member of the Society of Trusts and Estates Practitioners and an accredited Taxation Law Specialist with the New South Wales Law Society

Justine Taylor, Principal Director, Uther Webster & Evans
Justine is an Accredited Specialist in Wills and Estates. Justine joined Uther Webster & Evans in 2004 and holds a Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours) and Bachelor of Psychology. Justine became a Partner of Uther Webster & Evans in 2015 and is now a Principal Director of the firm. A full member of STEP, Justine is a registered Trust Estate Practitioner and has been honoured to be ranked on Doyle’s Guide as Leading Wills & Estates Litigation Lawyer in NSW and Doyle’s Guide Recommended Wills & Estates Litigation Lawyer across Australia. Justine’s primary practice and passion is Succession Law, Wills & Estates and Trusts including contested estate litigation, complex estate administration, dispute resolution, protective list applications, general equity, estoppel and trusts. Thank you once again for agreeing to speak and I look forward to working with you on this event.

Stephen Lynch, Director, Somerville Legal
Stephen is an Accredited Specialist in wills and estates, having specialised in the area of wills, probate, estate planning and succession for more than 20 years. His experience includes complex estate planning, including advising in relation to asset protection measures such as creation of testamentary trusts. Stephen also specialises in contested estates, including testamentary capacity disputes and Family Provision claims. Stephen is one of the authors of the highly regarded Lexis Nexis Practical Guidance publication on Succession Law, has spoken across Australia on wills and estates matters, and has been listed in the Doyles Guide of top wills and estates lawyers in NSW every year since 2015.

Mark Squire, Practice Group Leader, Wills and Estates, Vinden Lawyers
After conducting his own city practice for many years, Mark is now a director and the Practice Group Leader- Wills and Estates at Vinden Lawyers Pty Limited. In this role, Mark is able to practice substantially in estate planning with a particular interest in blended family issues. Mark is a former part-time lecturer at UTS and is a regular presenter to legal and other professional groups, mainly for Legalwise.

Matthew Mckee, Partner, Brown Wright Stein Lawyers
Matthew McKee is an experienced tax and trusts lawyer who provides tax and commercial related advice to accountants, financial planners, SMEs and private clients. Matthew advises on income tax, capital gains tax, fringe benefits tax, GST, stamp duties, payroll tax and superannuation law. Matthew has a particular expertise on the tax issues associated with trusts. Matthew regularly provides advice on the structuring of businesses and family wealth through discretionary trusts and unit trusts.